Endless Waltz: Missing Counterpoint
by NickelS
Summary: What happens to Zechs and Noin's relationship during and behind the scenes of Endless Waltz?
1. Missing Counterpoint

Endless Waltz: Missing Counterpoint   
~by Nickel Stein - purple_shad@hotmail.com 

December 2000 

**Disclaimer:** Gundam Wing and Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz are property of Bandai, Sunrise, Sotsu Agency etc., and the characters used for this fic are not mine. The following prose is intended for the entertainment purposes of fans like me. 

(**†**) denote lines that are quoted directly from the dub version (Go Brian Drummond and Saffron Henderson!! Woooh... ahem) of Endless Waltz (assuming I got most of it right). 

**Author Note / Synopsis:** This fic attempts to explain what happens between Zechs and Noin during and behind the scenes of Endless Waltz, just because it's so damn annoying that their relationship is so subtle. Subtle is okay I guess, but after watching all 49 episodes and the movie, I just _had_ to write this to satisfy my own insatiable desire to see them get together! I hope you enjoy... and if you don't like sap, then too bad for you. 

* * *

Zechs sat inside the Tallgeese with a book in his hand, but he was not reading the lines on the page. The Tallgeese blipped as he expected, notifying him of the approaching cargo shuttle: 

**Trasmission:** Connecting... Open   
**Designation:** Preventer Cx-3526P   
**Operator:** "Preventer Fire"   
**Hailing Msg:** "Hello, Tallgeese."   
**Co-ordinates:** 34.79, 28.68, 187.26

Zechs narrowed his eyes at the computer screen. _Fire? Could that be... _It had to be. He hoped for it to be her, yet not her. He was not at all sure what he wanted. He wanted desperately to see her, but feared having to face her again after so long, his only fear. What would she say to him, how would she react to his return, and what should he say in response? _What has the year done to our...?_ His unfocused gaze strayed back to the book he was holding. 

The video screen blipped, showing Noin's image. Silence ensued. 

With the book still hovering between his face and the screen, he licked his dry lips and spoke as casually as he could: "Is that you, Noin?"† He turned the page in his book, determined to keep up the charade he had begun half and hour earlier until he was certain. Her reply came, voice calm and smooth as he had heard it inside his head for several months. There was no negative quality in her tone. He allowed himself to feel slightly relieved. Thanking her, he lowered the book, finally looking at her through the video transmission. He almost smiled. 

"So Noin, how have you been doing?"†  
  "Good."†

He could not comprehend the expression on her face when she looked away for a fraction of a second, but she looked back at him with a slight smile. "Zechs... It's been one year and two days."† He was at once flattered that she cared, and sorry. He swallowed, wanting to say so much, and wondering whether or not he had made the right decision in staying away from Earth. 

"It has been that long."   
"I always knew you'd come back."   
_Such faith..._ he marveled. There was an awkward silence.   
Noin changed the topic, blushing, and hoping he would not be able to see it on the video screen. She glanced at her secondary monitor. "Get the Tallgeese ready for pick up. I'll be in position in eighty-two seconds."   
"Yes, ma'am." 

* * *

* * *

The conference room of the Preventer's headquarters was emptying its packed crowd, volunteers and former soldiers quickly exiting the room to begin shifts at their posts. The Preventers were busy trying to prepare as much as they could since Mariemeia's arrival on earth. They knew where she was, but were uncertain as to what action they should take without resorting to military armaments, which were in short supply in the current days of peace. When the surveillance crews had left, Une turned her attention to the organization's newest member. 

"I know as Preventers it is our duty to try and resolve this, but are you very sure? This could very well be a suicide mission." She frowned up at the tall blonde man. 

"I appreciate your concern," Zechs replied, "But we all know that this has to be done. There is no one else to do it except us."   
Une looked away. "Yes, I know you're right." Then with more resolution, she began briefing him and Noin, who stood at Zechs's elbow. "The Brussels establishment is not far from the city centre. We've tried to evacuate the citizens in crucial areas around the locale in anticipation of an upcoming battle, but there are too few people who understand what is really going on. I've assigned Sally to the media work and HQ operations. I myself will head there on foot. It will be up to you two to handle the fight." 

"No." Zechs mused. "It's all up to the people whether or not we succeed." 

After declaring a few more orders, Une dismissed them and those left in the room. Heading down the hall toward the mobile suit hangar, Zechs watched Noin from the corner of his eye. She had been unusually quiet for the past few hours. 

"Will you be all right, Noin?" he asked finally.   
She turned her head towards him, though they continued walking. "Why wouldn't I be?" But there was no reassuring smile this time.   
He stopped, recognizing the look in her eyes despite her efforts to hide it. It was the same look she had had a year ago, when she told him she would join him before Libra's destruction. She stopped with him as he searched for his voice. 

"Don't worry, Noin. I don't intend to be made into yet another martyr."   
"Okay." She replied moving on, briefly comforted. 

* * *

* * *

The sounds of tearing metal filled his ears, the smell of burning fuel, and sweat tinged with electricity filled every hard breath he took. His eyes narrowed because of the constant flash of his own beam sabre and the energy blasts of enemy canons that rocked the flight of his mobile suit. 

Zechs and Tallgeese III fought as one entity against the throngs of Dekim Barton's troops, the large mobile suit weaving among the slower upgraded Serpent Leo's with its superior Vernier rockets. A slice of his sabre and a lash from his heat whip brought down two more suits but he was already gone from the spot, leaping from the debris towards another oncoming pair. He kept a constant eye out for the glimpse of Noin's white Taurus suit, which was always nearby. 

Noin herself was busy trying to keep her suit from being caught in a barrage of fire. With her rifle, she covered Zechs as he swept in to destroy the mobile suits in close combat. It was their best strategy. She kept letting off rounds, refusing to lose any ground that they had gained so far, but she could see that they were not getting very much further. 

A shot clipped the shoulder of her Taurus suit and she struggled to keep her balance. Zechs, seeing this as the Tallgeese rushed in to destroy the suits that had shot her, said through their open communication line:   
"Noin, you really don't have have to stick around with me."†   
Sadly, knowing full well the hopelessness of the battle they were in, Noin confessed to him, her voice thick with emotion. "Zechs, I told you a year ago that I will never leave your side… I've waited so long, and I just can't wait any longer."† 

Zechs clenched his jaw tight, in an effort to contain the surge of emotion inside of him. Maintaining his blank expression had never been so hard as conflicting feelings of despair and love threatened to tear him apart. He barely managed a dull "Understood,"† without choking before he moved into battle with a new fury. 

* * *

  
The hours raged on and they were both getting tired. Noin could feel the strain throughout her entire body with every extreme movement she made to save her own life. They were both playing defensively now, just enough to stay alive, but the numbers of offensive troops kept multiplying. Zechs could tell his reaction time was slowing down immensely. His whip soared through the air once, but there were too many. His peripheral vision caught sight of a gleam of white surrounded by the brown dust-coloured Serpents. The Vernier rockets flared, rushing the Tallgeese towards its companion. After tackling the two that were harassing Noin, Zechs turned his head to see a wall of Serpents blocking their progress and a few coming up from behind. It was all he could do to place himself in front of Noin, shielding them both from the rain of fire. 

"We've reached our limit,"† he said, straining to hold his ground.   
Then the Gundams came. 

* * *

* * *

Noin was so happy that it was finally over. The effort of focusing and battling for so long resulted in a surge of elation throughout her aching body. As her eyes scanned the broken battlefield and the still-standing Gundams on it, she smiled. Her gaze fell on the Tallgeese standing beside her own Taurus, still majestic despite the damaged exterior. She wished they were not in their mobile suits so that she could give Zechs a victory hug. She felt like laughing in relief, "Oh, Zechs."† His reply came to her, ever enigmatic, but she could hear his own relief. 

"So what about the base?" Duo's voice came over the open transmission they now all shared. "You think the people are still alive down there?" 

Noin punched up a communication line with the Preventers' HQ. "Sally? Can you tell us what's going on in there? Has Une made it in?" 

Sally's face came up on screen. "Roger that. She's just sent out a distress code for some medics. As you've seen, the civilian protest is still a little furious, since they've no idea what's going on either, but I'm sure Wufei will have things under control." 

Trowa's voice came over the line. "I'll check the remains of Wing Zero. Heero's probably already inside, but I'll look anyway." The Heavyarms lifted into the air with a few scraping sounds of protest. 

"We'd better get over there and have a look, eh?" Duo said. 

"I hope everyone's all right," added Quatre. The two Gundams also took off. 

"Zechs?" Noin asked after a brief silence. She heard his voice, although his words were not addressed to her. 

"Sally, did Une tell you who needed the medical attention?" 

Sally smiled, "No, but don't worry, Milliardo. I have word that Relena is unharmed." 

"Thank you, Sally. Preventer Wind out." The screen turned black. He turned to Noin. "Shall we go then?" The Tallgeese made a polite gesture.   
She smiled._ A gentleman even in his mobile suit..._ The Taurus lifted off ahead of the Tallgeese. 

* * *

* * *

As the stretcher wheeled by with Heero Yuy lying prone on it, heading towards the ambulance, Relena looked up at the scene around her: minor fires being put out, smells of smog, gasoline, rubber, metal; the surrounding darkness beyond the grounds of chaos, running medics, the injured and bystanders - most of them soldiers of Mariemeia's army. As her eyes wandered, they instinctively fell upon a familiar head of platinum blonde hair. Zechs and Noin stood at a polite distance, watching her. When he saw that she saw them he took a tentative step forward. With one last glance at Heero's stretcher being loaded onto an ambulance, Relena rushed towards them. 

"I'm so glad you're alive, Milliardo!" Relena hugged him, ignoring the smell of singed clothes and hair, sweat. "I'm glad we've all survived this." 

"Yeah, me too," he replied after a grunt of pain. He hugged her back.   
She noticed he looked strained. "Are you hurt? The doctors are right here," she chided. Without waiting for a reply she went off to find help. 

He would have laughed if he could. "Just a sprained ankle and a few broken ribs, that's all."   
"Zechs, you fool." Noin frowned at him. "When_ will_ you think that you need medical attention? Here, go sit on that rock, I'll help you over." She ducked under his arm so he could lean on her. 

"Ah…" He winced, then looked down at the top of her head, feeling almost physically stunned as she placed her arm around his waist. Her hand felt cool holding on to his. She positioned him on a relatively stable chunk of debris, lifting his arm off herself and kneeling in front of him. Their eyes held each other for a moment. "Noin…" He felt like saying something silly like,_ What would I do without you?_

Relena came up hurriedly with a paramedic in tow. Noin reluctantly broke eye contact to looked up at her. 

* * *

* * *

After returning to the Preventer's headquarters, everyone having been bandaged up, things tried to restore themselves into some order around them. Zechs and Noin walked through the infirmary. Jobs needed to be done and they had only run into each other again since arriving back with their mobile suits a few hours ago. Noin was being gopher, since she could not use a computer or write with only her left hand. The other wrist was bound up, having been overly strained in battle, and it felt sore moving her fingers. She had survived with a few more scrapes and one broken rib. 

Sally had commanded Noin to take a break after delivering one more report to Une; the argument being that she had been in battle after all, and had not slept in well over eighteen hours. Noin had run into Zechs when he had insisted on leaving his terminal to wander around the base in hopes of seeing something more interesting than his computer screen. He did not seem hindered much by the crutches he sported to support his sprained ankle.

They stopped at a window looking into the IC unit. Une's back was towards them, as they looked on to see a very pale Mariemeia still unconscious from the gunshot wound and subsequent surgery. 

Zechs mused, "So this is Treize's legacy."   
"Zechs." Noin's tone was short of reprimanding.   
"Just a war torn world and a few more broken hearts." He did not look at her. 

She almost felt like saying, _That's your legacy, too_, but held back. "There was a time when we would have died for his cause, there are some who still would… but it's over now. We're beginning yet again."   
His profile looked grim. "Treize continues to live in us… Even in this little girl who knows nothing of who her father really was." 

Noin made a slight nod, indicating Une. "I think Une will take good care of her. I can see that already." She raised her bandaged hand against the glass, looking intently at Une's slumped shoulders. _No doubt Une is really tired, she probably hasn't slept since the crisis began, which was a couple days ago._

Unexpectedly, Zechs placed his left hand gently over hers. She nearly started, and immediately hoped he had not noticed. She glanced furtively at him and then back at their hands pressed lightly on the window. There was a slight pause. He was still looking straight ahead when he commented. 

"You're right. They need each other; it'll be good for them." With that, he turned away and positioned his crutches properly under his arms again. Before she could think of something to say, he asked over his shoulder. "Are you going to hand in the report now?" 

"…Yeah. Then I'm going to bed." She glanced back through the window and turned back to him. "What about you?" 

"I should get back to work." His profile smirked. "Sally's probably wondering how a one-legged man could run off so quickly. Good night, Noin." 

Watching his retreating form, Noin wondered what she should do. Should she run after him and try to talk to him? Was that just a slip, and if it was not, what did it mean? He had not looked at her at all. What had the past twenty-four hours done to their relationship? She felt so weak. _Why can't I move?_ She briefly wondered if she was afraid, now that he was finally home, finally responding to her with a distinct amount of… 

"Noin? What are you doing down here?" Une's voice snapped her back to attention.   
"Here's the latest report." Noin said, mechanically handing the clipboard to the Preventer head. "I'm going on break now." 

She hurried in the direction that Zechs had gone. Une's gaze trailed after her for a moment before lowering back to the report in her hand. 

_For a cripple, he sure moves fast,_ Noin thought. After checking with Sally and several other people who had not seen him, she decided her need to sleep currently outweighed her need to see him. His feelings would be made clear to her eventually, she hoped, retiring to her room. 

* * *

* * *

Over the next few days she saw less of him than she wanted to. Work seemed endless and he was nowhere to be found whenever she looked. Some new project had popped up and he was supposed to be in charge of it. 

* * *

Noin woke from a dream she was having. She had been chasing something in her white Taurus suit out in space. As she got closer, it repeatedly distanced itself in a flash of white and blue. Then, finally when the end of the dream grew near, she saw what it was just before it detonated, nearly taking her with it. 

Her eyes snapped open, her body still motionless where she lay, but the pit in her stomach betrayed her mixed emotions evoked by the dream. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to escape her feelings, but she could not. She knew what she had dreamed and right now, it embodied her greatest fear. Slowly, she uncurled herself and slid off the cot in her office. She told herself not to think about it, it would only bring bad luck. She stood shivering in the dark for a moment in silence. The sounds of the Preventer base had lowered a few decibels in the last few hours although there was still much activity about. 

A flashing light on her videophone caught her attention. It was a message telling her to call Lady Une ASAP. Noin clicked on her desk lamp and dialed Une's office. After one ring, Une's image appeared.   
"You called?" Noin asked, trying to will her voice back to normal after just waking up. 

"I'm sorry to disturb you while you're not on duty, Noin, but I thought I should tell you…" Une paused, looking unusually sympathetic. 

"What is it?" Noin was suddenly concerned. 

"You know that new Terraforming projects the Peacecrafts have been working on?" 

Noin nodded, knowing that Zechs and Relena had had a few meetings during the past few days regarding the new project. 

"The project has it's go-ahead from the United Earth Sphere's government. Preventer Wind has just submitted an overview to me and as head of Terraforming's establishment division, he has also stated that he will be leaving to personally oversee the project." 

"What!?" Noin nearly choked. "W-When is he leaving?" 

"0-four hundred hours tomorrow morning." Une did not know what to say. Apparently, as she had suspected, Zechs had not told Noin of his imminent departure. She thought Noin deserved to know. "What will you do?" she asked her fellow co-worker and friend. 

"I- I…" Noin faltered, then immediately gritted her teeth, and declared, "I'm going with him." 

Une gave her a brief, reassuring smile. "Officially, I'll take that as on the record, but don't worry about the paper work, I'll handle it. You've got eleven hours to find him and give him hell for this." 

Noin smiled sadly, "Thanks, Une." After ending the call, she stood in the room staring at nothing. 

He could not leave, not again. They had not had very much time to talk during the aftermath of Mariemeia's arrival. It had only been a bit less than a week since the battle had ended. How could he be planning to leave again so soon… and not tell her? She shivered at the thought of the dream. Doubt began to creep up on her, and try as she might, she had trouble forcing it back. Alternating feelings of anger at his neglect and fear of his rejection clung to her. She took a deep breath trying to clear her head, but she could not help it, then she became irritated at herself. _I have to do something! How dare he treat me like this, of course he knows how much I… he must care…_In her mind she saw the battlefield again when he had taken the blast for her. The doubt came again, unbidden, her thoughts in a whirl: _What if he's been avoiding me these past few days, and he just wants to get away again? _She swallowed hard and then the emotional cycle began all over again. 

An immeasurable amount of time passed in silence before a knock on her door made her jump. She shivered again before moving to open it. She rubbed her right eye, trying to push back the feeling of her eyes watering._ Soldiers do not cry_, she had told herself that a million times throughout her military career. Then she stopped wide-eyed, the door open half way, shocked that it _was_ Zechs standing in front of her. 

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?"   
"Oh… no." Noin was in her rumpled tank top - her Preventer jacket was draped over the back of her desk chair - and she had removed her shoes before napping. She could imagine the state her hair was in. 

"Are you sure?" The shadow of a smile appeared on his face.   
"Yes… well, no, I mean, no you didn't wake me." _But you did_, she added silently. She shook her head, flustered by her emotions. She should ask him now. "Come in." She moved aside and he stepped into the room with a slight limp, being too proud to use a cane for his recently healed ankle. 

Zechs hesitated for a moment; _why does she look so sad?_ "Noin. I came to inform you that I'll be leaving to start the Terraforming project early tomorrow morning." 

"Well it's too late for that." Noin was relieved that he had not forgotten about her, but she could not help the bitterness in her tone. He was leaving after all. 

He was disappointed. "So they told you already did they?" Then he decided to ignore it, and her sulking tone. "Pack your things." 

"What?" Noin looked up, surprised.   
He sighed. "I know there's nothing I can say to convince you to stay, so you're to come with me." 

"Come with you?" she echoed, incredulous. He had never asked her to accompany him before; she had always had to assert herself and tell him that he needed her help, though he had always accepted graciously enough. 

At her words, a doubt seized him, _What am I doing wrong?_ "Of course, don't you... want to?" 

Then she beamed, all doubts ebbing from both of them when she smiled.   
"Of course I do, and I will. Thank you." Impulsively she hugged him, catching him off guard. As she pulled away, his hands reached up and slid down her bare forearms until he held both of her hands in his own. He held them briefly before letting go, unsure if his own actions had been a conscious decision.   
"Let's go get a coffee," he said, reaching over and handing her jacket to her. 

* * *

* * *

They sat in the cockpit of the space shuttle. Zechs sat in the pilot's seat, with Noin on his right, his co-pilot. They were waiting for clearance, readying to take off in a few seconds. They sat in a comfortable silence. When the engines had finished warming up, and the launch signal appeared onscreen, Zechs executed the launch procedure. He saluted Une and his sister with her on the view screen before switching off the video. After the initial jolt of the engine blast, she asked him about the Terraforming project. 

He explained his own willingness to support Relena's project. Half in jest, he asked her again. "...Noin, are you sure you…?"†  
There was no hesitation. Indeed, she interrupted him with a sigh. "Zechs, please don't make me repeat myself… again."† 

She was pretending to be exasperated, but she was happy to be with him, he could tell that much. There was no hint of consternation or judgment in her voice. He could not prevent a small smile from surfacing, looking down at his hands. 

* * *

After more than an hour, Zechs could feel the game coming to a close. He had to be very careful now. Then he saw it, her pieces positioned almost perfectly. One more turn and she would have him trapped. He raised a hand to his chin and scratched it absently with a finger. Noin sat calmly opposite him, her arms crossed comfortably in front of her, her legs crossed at the knees. She waited with her eyes closed, trying to imagine the game board in her mind. He had little choice, his rook was not ready to overtake her king, and so he moved it back towards his own side of the board. He frowned at the board, knowing full well what a risk it was. She moved her bishop to intercept him. So he had been wrong? He could not figure out what her plan was. 

Another twenty minutes passed. 

"Checkmate."   
Zechs stared at the board in shock. How could he have miscalculated such a move? Noin had said it quietly as she had moved her knight into position. There was no hint of gloating, barely even triumphant, just that one word hanging between them. His eyes lost their focus on the black and white squares of the chessboard. 

_She is amazing… _He felt a flash of an emotion, which was then swallowed by his now automatic reflex of hiding whatever he felt. He glanced up at her briefly, and in that moment he knew he could acknowledge it, his love for her. He immediately looked back down at the board. 

* * *

  
He had always known that she was the only woman he would ever need, want, and love. It had never been an idea that he had considered disputing; it was more universal than that, beyond his own control. It was simply natural. He did not even remember when it had first developed, but he knew what had happened to it during the past two years. He could at least explain _that _to himself. Maybe he would explain it to her, one day. 

Intentionally, he had closed off his feelings for her, locked them in a glass case, deposited in the back of his mind, the back of his heart, so that no matter what he did on the outside, whatever actions he had to take in war, those feelings would remain untouched, protected, conserved. He had always believed that distancing himself from her physically would also serve to protect her, because he had to. Whenever she was around him, he always found that she put her life in danger for him, always because of him. He did not want the responsibility of both of their lives. His own life was hard enough to take care of. 

Even this past year, he had kept himself from returning to the Earth, thinking that his presence would not be welcomed by anyone, perhaps not even by Noin. Better that she was alive hating him than dead because of him. He was still slightly surprised that her casualness towards him was the same as it always had been, as if his yearlong hiatus had been only a week, as if the White Fang had never happened. 

* * *

  
Noin waited expectantly for him to respond, to say something, allowing a small, shy smile to show her pleasure at having beat him. She would only ever beat him in private, just because she could. It helped that he was always good about losing to her. 

"I'd like to congratulate you, Noin," he said solemnly, looking up. "You've won."   
Faced with his intense gaze, she demurely objected. "The margin wasn't large. The game could have just as easily been yours."   
_Just like you to be so modest…_ His mouth twisted in a wry smile as he shook his head. _I should be so lucky._ "No." He rose from his seat, picking up the magnetic chessboard. "I mean, you win; I surrender." Without taking his eyes off her he placed the board on the dash of the control panel. "And as they say…" He bowed from the waist, then stopped, head level with hers. "…'To the victor go the spoils.'" Reaching a hand out to gently cup her jaw, he brushed his lips against hers quickly. As he pulled away, her face followed his, unconsciously trying to recapture the kiss that was too short. "Congratulations, Noin," he breathed, standing up, his hand still on her cheek. 

She sat still. "Oh, Zechs…" She was at a complete loss for words, but the surprised joy on her face told him all he needed to know. They gazed lovingly, frozen for the moment, much the way their relationship had always been. Then it passed, both of them moving at once. He pulled her up from her chair as she hugged him as tightly as she could, and he returned it this time. 

It was no longer just a dream for her. Noin hugged him all the harder to reaffirm the reality of it. Finally she turned her head up to him, and awe washed over her as she saw the smile on his face that she had dreamed of seeing for a very, very long time; the smile that was only for her, brilliant and sincere, unlike many other smiles she had seen cross his features. This smile held no bitterness, no sarcasm, no deceit, and no sorrow. Noin reached a hand up to touch his face. 

She said softly, "I always knew you were beautiful behind the masks you wear." He thanked her with a much longer, more passionate kiss.   
When they separated for air, she realized something, but her head was spinning so fast she could not add the dates up.   
"Zechs…" she gasped. "It's been… been…" 

He laughed softly, kissing her forehead. "I know; It's been two years and two hundred ninety-one days."   


~fin 

* * *

Post-production notes:

· Run-on sentences abound, I apologize. ^_^

· It's quite logical that Noin wins the chess match; She's actually a lot better at many things than Zechs is. He even admits it in the series, sort of (that line about her letting him be first in school and all that). Moreover, in the chess scene, poor Zechs is looking mighty troubled, and we know that's not his game face. =D (Go, Noin!)

· I tried to write them in character as much as possible, I hoped I succeeded in at least that much. 


	2. epilogue

Endless Waltz: Missing Counterpoint (Epilogue) 

* * *

A.C. 194 

With Treize Khushrenada at the helm, the Specials military force was gaining more and more military freedom from the Alliance. In order to obtain an elite standing, Treize needed the best soldiers with him at the top. Zechs and Noin were among those few that would hold significant ranks and titles to become the Specials' commanding officers.   


It was mid-spring when they had completed their post-graduate duties as elite Specials at the Lake Victoria academy. Noin had already begun her teaching schedule the semester before. Zechs had been doing fieldwork, on and off throughout the previous year, under Treize's command. For once, Zechs and the majority of their graduate class, were "home" awaiting new placements and assignments that would determine the rest of their military careers. This meant the Lake Victoria base was turned into one big party hall for at least one night before the soldiers headed out again on their separate missions. 

Leaning against the makeshift bar, Noin had watched, with a dull interest, her fellow soldiers, almost all of them male, as they played cards, got drunk, arm wrestled, and occasionally got into brawls only to be escorted out of the mess hall. Some even tried some pick up lines on her. The last bit seemed to stop happening after Zechs sat down at her elbow, gleaming helmet hovering over his glass of Wild Turkey. 

She had commented to him at some point during the evening that the testosterone level in the room was too high. He had laughed, perfectly at ease with his best friend. Sometime later, they had found themselves wandering the dormitory halls, senses and brains dulled somewhat by the alcohol. 

They passed a window and Noin stopped, saying that she hoped they would assign her a post on one of the spaceports, since she really did not want to stay on Earth and fight in battles during semester breaks. 

"That's too bad." Zechs had said as they moved on. 

"Why's that?" 

He skirted around the question. "I find it strange that I haven't received any word from Treize lately. He usually loves to bug me with incessant updates on the Specials' growing status in the Earth Sphere." 

"Hunh." Noin didn't feel like pursuing her query if he was going to be stubborn. She found it hard enough to walk straight. 

"What are you doing?" he asked as she placed her hands on either side of her tilted head. 

"I'm trying to keep the room from tilting." 

"Are you that drunk?" 

"No, but my head hurts." 

"Oh. All right." 

They walked on until Zechs realized they were heading towards Noin's room, after nearly circling the entire dorm and its adjacent wings twice. 

"Is that my room?" she asked pointing at a doror. 

"No. It's over there," he replied, pointing down the hall. 

"Ha! Got ya didn't I?" she snickered. "No, I'm not drunk; I switched rooms with a new cadet last week when you weren't here yet." Sure enough, when she slid her key card and punched in her 5-digit passcode, the lock clicked and she opened the door, but did not go in. 

"So that's why I haven't been able to get an answer when I knocked on your door…" 

"I hope you didn't scare the poor kid," Noin laughed. "Imagine having a wild silver-masked man banging on your door every morning." She grinned in the semi-dark. There was moonlight and field-lamp lighting coming in from the window in her room and another down the hall, but other than that, the hall was dim. 

"You think it's scary?" he asked, amused. 

"Nah." She reached up to knock on it with her knuckles. "I'm used to it." 

Without warning, he removed it and shook out his hair. Noin simply gaped; It was not the first time she had seen him without it, but it never ceased to amaze her that he was so beautiful underneath the cold metal. They stood staring at each other for a moment. Then, glancing up and down the hall to make sure no one else was around, she said: 

"You sure you're not drunk… Milliardo?" But he looked dead calm and very serious. 

"Not any more than you are, Lucrezia," he replied, a trace of a smile appearing. 

"All right, so talk. I know you only have important things to say when you take your helmet off." 

Zechs pretended to be offended. "So you're saying you don't listen to me the rest of the time?" He backed her into the doorway in case someone happened to come by during the conversation. She simply smiled in response, and he resumed a more solemn air.   


"Noin, I wanted to say good-bye to you personally before I leave tonight." 

"What?! Aren't you going to receive your orders along with the rest of us tomorrow?" 

"No, I already have. Apparently, Treize has bigger plans for the 'Lightning Baron.' I'm sorry to disappoint you." 

"That's not fair!" she exclaimed quietly. Then, realizing there was nothing she could do about it, she asked, "Where are you going, am I not allowed to come?" She knew the answer even as she asked it. 

"I am not allowed to divulge that. Again, I'm sorry." He hesitated; He was being too formal. "For all I know, I might never see you-" 

"Don't say that, please!" She was very upset, suddenly gripping his shoulders; she nearly shook him as if he was indeed drunk and speaking nonsense. 

"Noin…" He, in turn, placed a hand on her shoulder - the other, holding the helmet, curled around her arm - in an effort to calm her down. They stood like that awkwardly for a moment in a not-quite embrace. 

Without moving away, Noin said in a low voice. "Promise me that you'll come back and visit, then, when you have the time." She stared at him intently, trying to imprint the idea in his mind through his eyes. 

"I promise." Zechs nodded slowly. 

"Really… promise?" 

He decided he loved that particular look on her face. "Yes." He smiled. 

"Okay." Satisfied and reflecting his smile, she moved away. 

His arms returned to his sides reluctantly as she turned her back to him. 

"Good night, Noin." 

Spontaneously, she turned back around again, reached up and kissed him once on each cheek.   
The helmet dropped on his foot.   
They both bent down simultaneously to pick it up. She handed it to him, trying hard not to grin from ear to ear. 

"Thank you," he said as they stood up again, and just as surprisingly he placed a hand on her shoulder, leaning forward to return her kiss, but on her lips. 

He had not intended it to last as long as it did, but she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him there, nearly causing him to drop the helmet again. Then, maybe it was the alcohol causing his vision to swim, but she was gone in a moment and he was faced with a door closing on him. 

When he had found his voice he tentatively said her name. Her reply came only slightly muted by the door, but he could tell that she was standing right behind it. 

"Good night, Zechs… and good luck." 

He blinked, not quite sure what to think. He could not see anything else to do, so he placed his helmet over his head, adjusted his coat, saluted her door, turned on his heel and proceeded down the hall.   



End file.
